Rugby League World Cup 2021 (Merged Threads)

[Damien]

20 minutes ago, Allora said:

Did Australia ever sign up for the RLWC?

They were expected to attend but never signed up for it.

It's a schedule that was put in place since before the 2013 World Cup to best fit in the RLWC with other major tournaments. Everyone agreed to it. It's the World Cup for goodness sake,  no country should need pleading to play and I certainly don't think anyone would expect an RL country to have to be begged to attend it. 

 

[The Rocket]

6 minutes ago, fighting irish said:

Rugby League aside, that kind of control of the press obviously extends beyond sports reporting. It's a worry mate (for me) because its a move towards totalitarianism. It's scary, makes me shudder that the barons can make up any old because it suits their agenda, publish it across the Nation and it goes completely unchallenged.

It`s why I subscribe to two papers Irish, the left leaning SMH and the right wing Australian. Sometimes it`s quite incredible the different take they can have on the same story, but I enjoy that, because it helps to form a better picture of the whole argument, not to mention it`s just bloody interesting.

[rlno1]

13 hours ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

It's all well and good everyone wanting to cut ties with the NRL but they are the only real credible professional competition in the world. The NH game is managed incredibly poorly, it's just had a massive hit on TV revenue and seems intent on infighting. This forum is a great example with the 'traditionalists' v 'expansionists' (whatever those terms are supposed to mean) arguments that reflect the way the game is. UK RL cant agree what the best approach is and every 'plan' seems to be focused on promoting one thing to the detriment of another. 

If they can pull off a successful WC next year it might provide the boost the game needs, but failure will be a hammer blow. I dont think the UK game has the personnel or finances to turn it around and the game will continue to decline. NRL buy out at rock bottom price is almost inevitable to me at this point and might be the only option to retain fully professional RL.

The history of RL in Australia will tell you the management of the game should not be held in any great esteem eg. the SL War.

The game is lucky it has no big competitors in NSW and QLD. The game here is littered with self interest and always has been.

[rlno1]

13 hours ago, Chris22 said:

You reap what you sow.

 

Get use to that NRL, once Gould's plan for world domination takes hold in the backblocks of NZ and Australia. 

[Allora]

2 minutes ago, Damien said:

It's a schedule that was put in place since before the 2013 World Cup to best fit in the RLWC with other major tournaments. Everyone agreed to it. It's the World Cup for goodness sake,  no country should need pleading to play and I certainly don't think anyone would expect an RL country to have to be begged to attend it. 

 

I don’t think anyone is suggesting a Nation has to be begged to play.

There has been a few issues in the World in the last two years, there were contracts to sign to say a Nation was attending, the Kiwis signed it I don’t think Australia did.

Its a bit like two years ago when Great Britain toured the SH and they had not got Australia on board to play when they organised it.

it must have lost a fortune and was a disaster on the field that lowered GB/England’s standing in the game more than ever.

[rlno1]

11 hours ago, Liverpool Rover said:

It’s something I’ve thought for a while, the reason the Aussies wanting to hijack the international game being so it doesn’t overshadow their precious State Of Origin.

Correct and think about in 10, 15 or 20 years the number of PI or Kiwi players playing will very much be in the majority, so if the IRL have power over when internationals can be played they could easily put these on when origin is on and we have seen how popular and great to watch these games are. This is about having the control over players and when they can play internationals so as not to damage their product or partners product.

[rlno1]

1 hour ago, unapologetic pedant said:

Joey Manu is off contract next year. There`s a piece just up about his options on NRL.com by Dan Walsh which includes the following obligatory reference -

"The chance to chase an All Blacks dream similar to NZ teammate RTS has also been flagged".

As far as I`m aware, Manu has never played Union. He grew up in Tokoroa, of Cook Island descent, which is a quintessential League background.

For connoisseurs of the NRL mindset, there is nothing better than their coverage of NZ to lay bare the ingrained belief that RL is an Australian club game, whereas RU is an international game.

If you put it to Mr. Walsh that Joey might want to chase a dream with the Kiwis, you might as well be speaking a foreign language.

Maybe he wants to play in a World Cup.

[rlno1]

5 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

Six years ago, SOO’s TV rights were valued at £53m a year - for three games. 

Sky’s next Super League deal is £25m - for 66 games. 

But while I can see why the ARLC would want to protect their asset, I don’t see why that should involve the attempted murder of a tournament 10,000 miles away.

Is the World Cup really a threat to SOO? Not sure it is.

I sense the likes of V’landys and Gould do see the potential of Test football - as the logical extension of the NRL’s growing Pacific sphere of influence - they just want control of it to beef up their TV offer to the likes of Channel 9.

Look at it another way, if Covid had not hit would the Aussies and Kiwis be playing the WC this year?

[Tex Evans Thigh]

5 hours ago, gingerjon said:

Didn't the NRL also take a hit on TV revenue and lose $24m whilst also cutting planned expansion and are now starting to leak players and publicity to sports that actually play internationals.

We don't need a buy out from them.

I’m not suggesting it would be a good thing, quite the opposite, but SL might not be in a position to turn it down. 

[rlno1]

4 hours ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Any idea what time the press conference will be today?

Paul

Here is the press conference

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xMDNmZmM0L3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz/episode/ODk1MDU2OGItMTQ2My00ZDhmLTgxOWUtOGU1ZGM1ZTUzYTVi?hl=en-AU&ved=2ahUKEwjBx6yW5JnyAhUOzTgGHb4dAwoQjrkEegQICRAF&ep=6

[DI Keith Fowler]

It's a decision that's sent shockwaves through the rugby league world and Jon Dutton's hair by the looks of things. 

[rlno1]

2 hours ago, lucky 7 said:

Australian match officials certainly won't be missed

And the possibility of no "six again" rule next year. Great for the smaller nations.

[rlno1]

51 minutes ago, fighting irish said:

Rugby League aside, that kind of control of the press obviously extends beyond sports reporting. It's a worry mate (for me) because its a move towards totalitarianism. It's scary, makes me shudder that the barons can make up any old because it suits their agenda, publish it across the Nation and it goes completely unchallenged.

That's how News Corp work and they are now partners of the NRL and have a cosy relationship with V'landys. He did a deal with their pay TV arm quick smart for seven years no details released. No coincidence he comes from a gambling background and this is the way Murdoch is turning his business ie. sports betting.

[Spotty Herbert]

12 minutes ago, Damien said:

Maybe is far from factual.

People do not say that about RTS. What they do say is that he may have stayed until after the World Cup. It was not announced about RTS leaving early until after the Kiwis withdrew and he may well have stayed around until after the World Cup if it wasn't for that. That is what people say.

If you want to be factual you should start with your own posts.

Sorry, but it was known RTS was going to the dark side very early in the year and he was never going to be allowed to play in the RL world cup.

[Adelaide Tiger]

29 minutes ago, rlno1 said:

I think a 4 year cycle could look like this:

Yr1 - Australia x 3, PNG, Fiji, France

Yr2 - 4 to 8 Nation Tournament, Wales

Yr3 - NZ x 3, Samoa, Tonga, France

Yr4 - World Cup, France and Wales

One of Tests are great as an event rather then series like union do.

Also England Knights could play curtain raisers against Scotland, Ireland, Jamaica or Serbia

What I would propose is based upon every international meaning something. So I would have this based on IRLF rankings for 2020.

Year 1  During October/November have groups of 4 play round robin games in one country per group.

Group 1 - England, Australia, NZ, Tonga.  
Group2 - PNG, France, Samoa, Fiji

Group 3 - Scotland, Lebanon, Greece, Ireland  

Group 4 - Italy, Wales, Serbia, Malta Group 5 etc.

You have one team promoted and one team relegated 

Year 2 and Year 3 follow similar patterns.

At the end of Year 3 the teams in the top 4 tiers are the 16 teams that qualify for the WC. You also have one team from each group in one WC group.

Year 4 -  World Cup

Then repeat.

Yes it will cost money to stage but there are two ways to fund this-

1. if - and its a big if - ALL countries commit to something like this long term then it makes the concept more attractive to sponsors
2. any profit from any Group game gets put back into the pot 

 

 

[Gomersall]

 

[gingerjon]

30 minutes ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

I’m not suggesting it would be a good thing, quite the opposite, but SL might not be in a position to turn it down. 

The NRL can't buy anything with an IOU, which is all they would be able to muster.

[John Drake]

A couple of pages of dross deleted, and one person banned from the site as a result.

I'm not putting up with this for another whole year!

Play nicely, abide by our rules, report any problems. It ain't difficult.

Now, back on topic.

[JohnM]

Fan power caused the ESL soccer breakaway to dismantle in a couple of days. I realise that we are miniscule in all respects compared to soccer, but why can't fan power achieve something here?  Hands up the number of posters who think the WC will happen in 2022?

[The One]

I’m glad they got player input and looking at Jon Duttons statement on Twitter it appears going ahead without some players being able to take part influenced today’s decision a lot.

With the decision taking a long time from Oz and No withdrawing, I do wish they would have tried to gain some fan opinion too though. They must have a huge mailing list now they could have used to garner fan feedback, seeing how ultimately fans buying tickets will determine the success of the competition.

[Liverpool Rover]

1 hour ago, rlno1 said:

Correct and think about in 10, 15 or 20 years the number of PI or Kiwi players playing will very much be in the majority, so if the IRL have power over when internationals can be played they could easily put these on when origin is on and we have seen how popular and great to watch these games are. This is about having the control over players and when they can play internationals so as not to damage their product or partners product.

I’ve seen Australia have lost the 2 out 4 games they have played and they were an ankle tap on Kallum Watkins away from possibly losing the last World Cup Final. There has been a big rise in the strength of the PI teams and the other thing I have always thought is that when the Aussies think that they might not be as dominant as they used to be and might start losing a bit more regularly they would lose interest in international RL.

[Tommygilf]

24 minutes ago, JohnM said:

Fan power caused the ESL soccer breakaway to dismantle in a couple of days. I realise that we are miniscule in all respects compared to soccer, but why can't fan power achieve something here?  Hands up the number of posters who think the WC will happen in 2022?

My expectations are low but I hope it does for the people who have put work into this.

[Wirral Warrior]

1 hour ago, Allora said:

Did Australia ever sign up for the RLWC?

They were expected to attend but never signed up for it.

Sign up?......we are talking about International Sport. 

They should not need to 'sign up' ......international competition is vital to grow and develop the game especially for a sport when a sister code attract talent with the prospect of national representation.

Despite my anger at the arrogant and duplicitous nature of the way ARL/NZ RL have withdrawn, I am hoping that the powers that be in Aus/NZ ( ie the NRL Clubs) can look beyond the next SOO series and genuinely help build momentum and the fully participate in a fully exclusive 2022 WC. Broadening and developing the world game will inevitably reap benefits to all nations, including Aus/NZ.

In many ways the International game is getting broader. The Pacific Island teams and PNG are certainly stronger . Tonga have beat Australia and England in recent years. 

So , nations should be privileged to be invited ( or qualify) for International tournaments....not having to 'sign up'!

[dkw]

Has there been anything to say the organisers have had any kind of guarantees from the 2 traitorous organisations that they wont do this again next year? Because I wouldn't trust them at all going forward, and its is imperative that this world cup happens next year now, another no show will kill the game.

[Tonka]

Just now, dkw said:

Has there been anything to say the organisers have had any kind of guarantees from the 2 traitorous organisations that they wont do this again next year? Because I wouldn't trust them at all going forward, and its is imperative that this world cup happens next year now, another no show will kill the game.

Good job they've got such a good vaccine rollout.  Oh...